'Critical injuries would be an understatement': boy, 3, fights for life as two childen hit by cars in Sydney

Nick Ralston, Emma Partridge

A three-year-old boy is fighting for life and a two-year-old boy the victim of a hit-and-run in two separate road incidents in Sydney on Wednesday afternoon.

The three-year-old boy suffered severe head and internal injuries after he was struck by a white sedan outside some shops in Blacktown, in Sydney’s west, about 3.15pm, according to CareFlight spokesman Ian Badham.

"Critical injuries would be an understatement," Mr Badham said.

"Our doctors worked with paramedics on the scene and have placed him in an induced coma," he said.

Police said the boy was trying to cross Reservoir Road when he was struck.

Paramedics and a CareFlight crew took the child to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead where he remained in a critical condition at 4.30pm.

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His mother and father were with him, Mr Badham said. The driver who hit the child is talking to police and will later go to hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing.

In an unrelated incident 15 minutes earlier, a two-year-old boy was struck by a car in a hit-and-run at Haberfield in the city’s inner-west.

When police arrived at Boomerang Street, near the intersection of Waratah Street, the driver of the vehicle involved had left.

The two-year-old suffered minor injuries and was taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital for further assessment.

The only description police have of the vehicle is that it is a "small-light coloured car".

NSW Police issued a warning to people driving near school areas just hours before Wednesday’s incidents after two children were struck by cars in Sydney earlier this week.

Traffic and Highway commander John Hartley said he was greatly concerned about the incidents and said police would be out in force patrolling school zones.

There were 10,750 infringement notices handed out to drivers for various school zone offences in 2013.

"It was just this morning that Traffic and Highway Patrol officers from Cowra spotted a white Holden Commodore V8 SS sedan speeding through a school zone.

"When officers attempted to catch up to the car it was seen to overtake a truck while allegedly driving at 170km/h.

"It is this sort of attitude and behaviour that alarms my officers, and they will be doing everything they can to ensure our school zones are safe for students, their parents and siblings, teachers and those that live nearby."

Motorists must not drive faster than 40km/h through school zones, most of which operate from 8am – 9.30am and from 2.30pm – 4pm on gazetted school days.